How I never saw...

some of the most beautiful places in the world...or how I spent my summer vacation...
Did I mention I'm Acrophobic, I had my eyes shut most of the time.

Walker, my dear 15 yr old son, has been the one in charge of our vacation destinations, he loves mountains ,water, treasures and much adventure, all wonderful things but in small doses, please?

Walker and mine tour guide and Bill


Here's a little of what my vacation was like...

View of the mine entrance


So DH and DS thought it would be great to go into a mine and so did I, what could go wrong? Nothing came to mind until they crammed all 8 of us BIG adults into a tiny little cage and shut the door.

The Tiny cage


Someone started shouting "I can't do this, I gotta get out, Stop!!!Let me out!!!" ...oh yeah, it was me...Apparently I'm Claustrophobic, hellova a way to find that out, who knew ?...SIGH...
Stay with me it gets better...

Pikes Peak or Bust
A view from the train station


Bill and me in front of a vintage train display, aren't I the happy camper?


I got talked into riding the cogtrain up to "Pikes Peak" (silly silly Flora )less than 1/3 of the way up I shut my eyes tight and didn't open them no matter how many oohs and ahhs!!! An image of the train tumbling down the mountainside kept playing over and over in my head! Mercifully we made it to the summit gift shop and I could open my eyes, I really didn't want to though...
I was in a quandry, should I stay or should I go,I don't know I don't know!!!My dh had to pry me and my sweaty hands off the seat to get me out of the train. Coming down wasn't much easier...No I didn't see that ride either.

The Cog Train


Curiousity got the best of me and I took a peek right about here, can you guess where our seats were...?


The gift shop


Proof he was there,


My fearless son


A magnificent view from the top


Some of the bravest souls or the stupidest, you decide...


A hasty exit


Seven Falls
The first falls and the steep stairs


We went to "Seven Falls", my dh says "do you want to take the stairs or the elevator "...uh, let me see, 240 steps up on those steep stairs vs elevator ,decisions, decisions...DUH!!! Once up, I just stayed away from the edge and did pretty good, Thank heaven for gift shops!!!

Us and the elevators


Billy the kid,he LOVES all this


Like father like son...Walker ,also in his element




Garden of the Gods



We also went to see " Garden Of The Gods " which is an area of gigantic rock formations clustered together, simply beautiful.,even though the drive always includes a journey over mountains no matter where we went,it was a good day and I was feeling better.

Driving up


Embarrassing moment for my son ( Mom,do you have to hold my hand?)

Practicing his pose


Bill and me


One more for good measure


Helen Hunt Falls
The visitors center


The next day we climbed up to see "Helen Hunt Falls", no elevators here.



Walker and Bill at the top


Walker and me at the bottom


Ever the thoughtful man, my dh took a "short cut" on the drive out, because
it was supposed to be a less traumatic way down for me,yeah right... Bill didn't you say it was going to take us down,I'm no rocket scientists but aren't we going up? Bill this is an awfully narrow road are you sure it's a one way? Yes I think so...Bill isn't that car headed toward us??!!!!
Now we were in a pickup, at the VERY edge of a VERY, VERY high mountain with NO RAIL and no where to go, so we stopped to let the other driver get around us.
Afterall he was on the mountain side with plenty of room , but it became quite obvious that he was highly offended that he had to be the one to do that, because as he drove by us that SOB flicked us off .... My son was in the front seat with his dad.

A view from our side


one more


No this one wasn't the SOB, but it was the 4th car we had to drive by and the 3rd tunnel,very scary for all of us.


A shot of the last tunnel on our way down.

Just when I thought it was over...

The Royal Gorge Bridge


DH and DS had saved the best for last " The Royal Gorge Bridge" The world's highest Suspension Bridge that hangs 1,053 feet high and spans a quarter mile across the canyon " I know because that's what the brochure said.
And were it not for the fact that our pockets were very light by this time,(Thank you lord) I do believe I would have more to tell...
So they had to pacify themselves with pictures.

Fantastic isn't it


Some people were quite adventurous/insane, this "swing" is on one side of the bridge and the person in it was swinging it so unbelievably high...


Something to remember


I just want to go home...


Despite my fears and mishaps, I can honestly say we did have a wonderful time and it was indeed a great adventure with treasured memories that will last a lifetime, and as always the time went by way too fast( although sometimes it did feel like an eternity )and we headed home.
If you ever get a chance to travel, I say there's no place like America for that and I highly recommend you do it with eyes wide open!!!

Last year we saw the Carolinas, this year it was Colorado, I am starting to see a theme here and it makes me kinda nervous about next year, especially since I overheard Bill and Walker discussing the Grand Canyon!!!?

I guess there's a reason I was born in Texas and if I look on the bright side at least I'll have a whole year to recuperate...


Blessings,Flora

There's some new guys...

in town...6 to be exact!!

Light My Fire


He Glows!

By candle light he goes,
Which tickles his nose
and curls his toes!
And it's because he knows,
That in the dark ,he glows!

by Flora Thompson


2 Wynter Folk


Snow
A chill wind blows and snow just flows.
Swirling and twirling,hither and yon.
Catch it quick before it's gone!!

by Flora Thompson

2 Gourdies
The one on the right will be on a different venue


Autumn Folk

When you listen closely,
but don't you draw too near!
The sing-song little voices
you will clearly hear,
of "Autumn Folk" who celebrate
All Hallows Eve each year !

by Flora Thompson

Calabacita #3
This little guy will not be on the SpookyTimeJingles update either, he will be in the same venue with Gourdie "b"


So lets not be late for the SpookyTimeJingles newest update, They'll be things you'll adore with goodies galore and so much more, so grab your honey and don't skip a beat,cause you'll be in for such a sweet treat!!!

We'll talk later, any questions just leave me a message...
Blessings.,Flora

Have I told y'all ...

How very lucky I am?...

"Trick-or Treat Smell My Feet"

Topsy-Turvy Alice

" Light My Fire" ( top left )


Well I'm very lucky and honored to have two of my dolls in Art Doll Quarterly and Celebrate365 respectively and another one is gracing an ad for SpookyTimeJingles on this same issue of ADQ!!!!YAY!!!!

Blessings,Flora

Artist Spotlight

EHAG's fantasical artist Johanna Parker
interviewed me for their " Interview with an Ehag artist " and it's up now !!!
Please go on over and see what ya think ,comments are always welcomed?

Blessings,Flora

Thank you...

With much gratitude.


To all those who joined me in prayer faithfully and spiritually.
In a time when cynicism is the norm and everything is looked upon with jaded eyes,
you all chose to rise above and just pray,I know we all benefit from prayer, especially when it is given from the heart
So thank you again,to my Christian friends for making time to do this in God's name for America.
And to my spiritual friends,your prayers along side ours will always be welcomed.

" Pray without Ceasing "

Blessings,Flora

God Bless..

AMERICA...



I know that this has been around before but we need to take time to remember those who risk everything to give us this country...................

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.


Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.
Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners ; men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.


Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy.

He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. . . .He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding.

His possessions were taken from him,
and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. . . . . . He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. . . The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. . . The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. . . .Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.

. . . . . : So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots.

It's not much to ask for the price they paid.



Remember: freedom is never free!



I hope you will show your support by sending this to as many people as you can, please.

It's time we get the word out that patriotism is NOT a sin, and the Fourth of July has more to it than beer, picnics, and baseball games.

Blessings,Flora

Prayers for America...

Pray Without Ceasing...



I am anxious to do this, to get this going, so I will send out emails today
informing those that emailed in private and am now posting for those that commented here and on FaceBook.
I am setting the time for July 1st at about 7:00 pm for our moment of prayer,each day for a week. This is Central time, so make sure to set your clocks accordingly for those of you who are on different time zones.
A very kind, new FaceBook friend of mine figured out the times zones for everyone, how sweet was that?!!!!So here they are below

If it is 7pm central time, it will be 8pm eastern time, 3pm pacific time, and 5pm mountain time.
Thank you Leslie!!!!

We can state our intentions prior to saying our prayers, which is for America's healing and to guide our leaders to make the right decisions for the good of it's people.

To my Christian friends I am suggesting to use " The Lords Prayer" if you are familiar with it.
Because I have many friends, not all of whom are Christians, who have stated that they would still like to participate. I think that as long as your prayers are of good will and healing please use them.
This was also suggested by a friend of mine ,for the conclusion of our prayers

May the lord bless you and keep you and may his light shine on you always,Amen

So I am going to offer it to y'all too,
Maybe we could even do this one week every month...or add this intention to our daily/nightly prayers too?
Please email me with any suggestions you might have, we do have time to add something extra, so if the spirit moves you please let me know about it so that
I can offer it?

Blessings,Flora

God Bless America....

Land that I love....
For too long I have taken for granted that this wonderful ,great country would always be a beacon, a shining star above all else, lately my great country isn't shining so brightly anymore, for whatever reasons.
I felt a need to do something...but what to do...?
Since I've always believed in the power of prayer and I have always believed in miracles through prayer ,even though it makes me more than a bit uncomfortable to ask anyone for anything, I had an urgent need to ask friends and family to pray.
So I'm hoping that you will join me in what I hope will be a gathering of many,
to pray for our nation to heal, through wisdom for our leaders to make right and just decisions for all of us.
Take a moment each day , at an appointed time in unison, to bow our heads in prayer for a week this coming month or more if you wish.
I'm hoping that we can do this either early morning to start off the day or later in the evening when our families are all together?
Some wonderful friends have already committed to do this with me, I'd love to have anyone who wants to to join us.
Send me an email and let me know what time would be best for you and we can get started.

Blessings,Flora

In a magical land far, far away....

...Only accessible through the mind of Bone*Head*Studios...:)
Okay so maybe not that magical afterall, but unique to say the least, cause odd little characters danced in her head and ever so often they escape and came out to play...

Calabacitas



It's True!

It's true , it's true, I say to you,
I saw them through the evening dew !
But I only saw the two.
One scampered off with muffled cries,
The other flew thru darkened skies !
It's true, it's true, I tell no lies,
I saw them with my own two eyes!
by Flora Thompson

I'm Ssssssoooooooo late again for the 100,1000th time!!! Maybe I'll just do a copy of this whine and use it each time? ok now i'm rhyming again...
Although this up date has " slim pickins " I'm still very pleased with the way my
sculpts came out and am very excited about these tiny punkin's that I call Calabacitas, I hope you are too!!!

A few befores for ya!!













The midnight hr approaches quick and we are but one click...away, from treasures, trinkets or such and catching them on time's the trick!!!
SpookyTimeJingles update is tonight after midnight....So don't be late or you won't get any...since these treasures are quite coveted by many !!!

Blessings,Flora

I get by with ....

A little help from my friends...

my sweet friend Lisa Johnson of " Skunk Hallow Country Store wrote a little article about muah and my dolls over at Wymzee Art Friends Show I think she did a wonderful job and there's a lot to see not just my art but other very talented ladies and their art are also showcased, please go on over and say hey and tell her I sent ya!!!

Blessings,Flora

Quirky....

Hallow Bunny




I was asked a while back by Robert Brawley aka The Halloween Fanatic to sculpt “Hallow Bunny “
one of his quirky characters , cute isn't it ? Of course I agreed, so he sent me his OOAK bunny drawing.
Which I get to keep, yay!! , well I finally finished it and sent him on his way, thanks Robert for being so
patient .











Oh you want to see all of him you say ? Well you'll just have to mosey on down to Roberts blog to do that...
http://twinklestricksandtreats.blogspot.com/
.

.Blessings,Flora

San Antonio or ...

BUST!!!!

Jason, Mykayla( LaLa ) and Miranda

My Twinies Tristan and Avery




My middle daughter and her family are now residing in SanAntonio...sigh...
I already miss them...I know only 3 hrs. give or take but still it's not like I can just get in the car and go visit "down the street", not that she ever lived very close...my dh said " Honey she is only 3 hrs. away!!!" "Yes" I replied, " but that's 3 hrs. further away than she was before..."
I hate goodbyes...

Blessings,Flora